


forty silver

by nonbinarywithaknife (littleboxes)



Series: me sobbing about critical role [58]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: (except cali), (it's from keg's pov so), Amnesiac Mollymauk Tealeaf, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Gen, Memory Loss, Mollymauk Tealeaf Lives, background keg/calianna, but i thought i'd tag it anyway, it's mostly just referenced by keg, keg is horny on main for cali but thats not really the focus here, lots and lots of swearing, none of them can read!, there isn't actually a whole lot of violence in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-12-30 10:49:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18313970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleboxes/pseuds/nonbinarywithaknife
Summary: neither of them can read, only one knows his own name, and they’ve got a copper total between the two. after keg joins them, it brings it up the total to three who can’t read, two who know their own name, and the coin goes up to about forty silver. It’s not great- it’s pretty fuckin’ shitty, actually, but keg looks at them and thinks, “why the fuck not?”





	1. chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by a post @jesterlavorrre on tumblr (http://jesterlavorrre.tumblr.com/post/183854405396/dumb-au-where-molly-rises-from-the-grave-with-no)

At first, when Caduceus hears the tell-tale sound of footsteps on foliage headed towards the graveyard, he thinks it’s the group, the Mighty Nein, again, though he couldn’t say why they’d return. But his ears flick, and he tilts his head, and it doesn’t sound like more than one person- two, at most. And he remembers the Nein being louder than the quiet crunching noises he’s hearing now. He shrugs to himself, and gets out a second cup and starts pouring some tea.

It takes a few minutes, but he finally sees a blot of purple through the grass, and then there’s a dazed tiefling clutching a familiar looking coat standing in front of him. Caduceus smiles softly, and asks, “Would you like some tea?”

The person looks at him, and staring into the deep red eyes, Caduceus feels- odd. Like someone traced a finger down his spine. The person opens their mouth, but all that comes out is the word, “ _empty_ ,” spoken in a hoarse voice that doesn’t sound quite right.

He admits to himself he’s a tad unnerved, and casts _Eyes Of The Grave_ , not really expecting to see anything. This makes the very faint aura that appears around the person even more unnerving. Caduceus blinks in surprise, and steps back a bit. Stares at the person.

They aren’t attacking, they don’t seem to have noticed his casting at all, let alone the spell he used, and they don’t look much like an undead creature except for the dirt covering them. Caduceus wants to send them back, to make things how they should be, but- he can’t quite bring himself to raise his staff. The person looks so- innocent isn’t quite the word, but perhaps- _new_.

Caduceus decides that he’ll pray to the Wildmother about it in the morning. He’s slightly more on edge now, but the person drinks the tea he hands them, and when he gently guides them to a cot, they put up no resistance. Caduceus settles down himself, and falls asleep quickly enough, despite his nerves.

The next morning, Caduceus rises with the sun, as is his ritual. The person is still asleep, chest rising and falling gently. Caduceus walks out into the small garden behind his home, and kneels in front of a small stone carving of the Wildmother.

He prays, explains his indecision, asks what he should do. In response, he receives a feeling not unlike the midday sun, warm and comforting, and as Caduceus opens his eyes, he feels much more assured, at peace. This- _this_ must be the sign he’s been waiting for. He chuckles a little to himself; it certainly isn't what he’s been expecting, but that's alright.

His guest wakes up after several more hours of rest, and eagerly devours the breakfast Caduceus sets out. It’s nice to cook for someone else again.

Maybe halfway through the day, Caduceus feels a tug on his sleeve, and his guest- he really needs to ask their name- shows him a piece of paper.

Caduceus blinks down at it. He can read some of the words, but he knows his limitations. He isn't a very book smart person, leaving aside that common isn’t his first language. “I’m sorry friend, I’m afraid I can’t read that.”

They seem upset at this, although when they speak all that comes out is the same word: “ _empty_ ,” although from the tone they seem frustrated. It’s then that Caduceus remembers where he’s seen the coat before. Miss Beau had a strip of very similar fabric tied around her hair. She’d said it was from a fallen friend.

“You haven’t perhaps traveled with a group recently, have you?”

They stare for a second, thinking. “ _Empty_ ,” they reply affirmatively.

Caduceus thinks carefully before making the decision. This is surely the sign he’s been waiting for, and it couldn’t hurt to look for a cure for the blight outside of his home. He certainly hasn’t made much progress so far. And he could help his friend here at the same time.

“Well, what would you say to a bit of a trip, friend?”


	2. chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> keg finds a pair of rainbow weirdos in the woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally we reach keg's POV, which is where we'll stay for the rest of the story

Keg is leaning against a tree, some ways off the main road she’s been traveling down, when she hears what sounds like talking. She tenses, before grabbing her hammers, and readying herself. She’s _very_ glad that she decided to stay awake tonight- it’s always a risk, when you’re traveling alone; go to sleep with no one to watch your back, and risk getting eaten or murdered, or stay up too long and passing out unexpectedly from sleep deprivation. It’s a delicate balance.

Keg strains her ears to hear whether they’re heading towards her. Instead, she thinks the voice is- familiar?

Whoever they are, they’re definitely heading in her direction, and it almost reminds of that weird firbolg they’d recruited to clear out the ‘Shepherds.

She keeps her eyes trained on where she thinks the people are- because there are _two_ sets of footsteps she’s hearing, even if only one of them’s talking. Even if it is the weird cleric, she doesn’t know him, they’re not friends, and it’s better to be prepared.

It’s several minutes more of tense waiting before they break through the woods, into her camp. They don’t see her right away- the combination of her height, the dirtiness of her armor, and her location. She waits until she’s behind them before stepping out and calling, “ _hey!_ ”

The purple one jumps, and whirls around to face her, and she nearly lets out an embarrassing scream before she gets herself under control. “ _What the fuck,_ ” is all she can manage, staring wide eyed at the tiefling that _had died in front of her_ , several _days_ ago.

The cleric, she's _right_ , it _is_ him, _fuck_ , she doesn’t remember his name. He turns toward her, that weird, vaguely happy look on his face. “Oh, hello! You were there a while ago, helping with the slaves? We could use your help, if it's not too much trouble.”

Keg lowers her weapons- not all the way, but mostly. She moves forward, “Depends. What do you need?”

The big guy smiles, and _fuck_ what _is_  his name? Carl? Dave? Something with a _C_ , she’s sure of it. Cedric?

He's still smiling, as he pulls out a piece of paper. “Could you read this?” he asks, handing it to her, and Keg swears.

Of all the _fucking_ things-! She takes the note, maybe with a little more aggression than is warranted, and pulls out her reading glasses. She’s glad she has dark vision, or else it’d be impossible to read, considering it’s just before dawn and they’re in the _middle of the woods_. She really does try to read the damn thing, but, _fuck_ , she’s not a smart person, okay, she’s made to _smack_ shit.

She huffs, and hands them back the letter. “Most I can get is something about Zadash and something called the Leaky Tap? Also, that your name is Molly, but I'd assume you already know that. Or not. But whatever I guess.”

She is not expecting Molly to perk up like he does at that, looking at her intently. The pink one- _actually, you know what? fuck it_ , “Hey, you, tall motherfucker, what’s your name again?”

He just kinda smiles at her, and _damn_ that is unnerving as hell.

“Caduceus, Caduceus Clay, lovely to meet you. I don’t think I ever introduced myself properly, Miss Keg. I apologize.”

Fuck. That’s weird, she’s never had anyone call her _Miss_ before, _ugh_ , it makes her feel uncomfortable. She shifts awkwardly, “Yeah yeah, just. Call me Keg. Anyway, what the fuck are you doing walkin’ around in the middle of the woods at night anyway?”

And no, she’s not _concerned_ , because that’s stupid, they’re a couple of grown ass adults who can handle themselves, fighting and otherwise. They sit back down at her tiny campsite and Caduceus explains what they’re doing, and _wow_ , yeah that “ _empty_ ” thing is creepy as fuck. After he’s done with his explanation, she has to just, stare, for a while, before she pinches the bridge of her nose.

“So. Neither of you can read, only one of you can talk, you have zero coin between you, and you thought just _wandering_ around _Shady Creek Run_ was a good idea? It’s got _Shady in the fuckin’ name!_ ”

She doesn’t let them respond before she starts thinking. She’s not the smartest, hah, that’s the fuckin’ understatement of the century, but clearly in this group that isn't a huge priority. And really, the two of them are so fucking delicate they’d keel over if she breathed too hard in their direction. And- and she _owes_ Molly, he _never_ would’ve died in the first place if she’d just stepped up quicker, and she at least knows the direction of Zadash, and if they get their hands on a map she can _probably_ read it. _Maybe_.

She realizes they're still staring at her, Cad (No way in hell is she gonna remember how to pronounce _Caduceus-_ ) with his big ass eyes lookin’ like a damn puppy, and Molly, who's basically a fucking baby right now, lookin’ at her all hopeful.

“Okay! Okay, you know what, I’m comin’ with you, I fuckin’- I guess. First thing? We’re camping here until morning. Which is like, I don’t know, only a couple hours away, fuck. Whatever. Second thing,” and she scowls at them, which only makes Molly stick out his tongue at her, and Cad doesn't even seem to notice.

“No more night time forest-wandering, okay? That’s how people get murdered, especially squishy casters who sneak up on trigger-happy dwarves.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have so little restraint, it is killing me to not just post the whole thing at once. but, we're sticking to this schedule


	3. chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they get to zadash and finally find somebody who can read!

It takes a while, and not a small amount of geographic wrong turns, before they get to Zadash, but _gods_ Keg’s relieved when they do in fact, arrive, and in (mostly) one piece. Technically she’s got a slightly shorter pinky on her right hand now, but that fucker a few days back _totally_ deserved it. She’s lucky she’s got Cad now, who patches her (and Molly) up after they get into shit, because they’re dumbasses who both have more skills than drunk assholes, usually.

Granted, it isn't always drunk assholes, sometimes it's sober, bigoted assholes. She’d gotten a concussion when she’d punched that bastard butcher who’d made a cow comment at Cad and then started makin’ eyes at Molly, and _not_ the sexy kind. So maybe she’d headbutted him, and also maybe gotten whacked with the blunt side of his cleaver, and then Molly had started screaming in Infernal, and things had gotten a little nuts, and now they are no longer allowed in that town. But- mostly in one piece.

She’s never been to the Empire, and Cad is from the _woods_ , and Molly’s like a month old, so she just has to keep their heads down as much as a purple, tattooed tiefling, a seven foot tall, pink firbolg, and a dwarf built like a brick house can (which is to say, not at all.)

But whatever.

They get to Zadash, and Keg decides, after the fifteenth double take as they walk down the street, _fuck it_ , and she drags ‘em out to a bar to celebrate making it here alive. Cad sits in the corner at a table, content to people watch and drink milk ( _what even_ ) and Molly has fun trying different drinks he’s never heard of before, and trying to convince Cad to try some, and that’s when Keg notices the pretty-looking elf lady staring at Molly.

She ambles over, kinda to check out if she has a problem, kinda because, well fuck it, she’s cute, and Keg has the coin for another room if this goes the right way.

“Hey, you got a problem with my friend over there?”

The elf turns to look at her  in surprise, and Keg can’t help the, “ _t_ _he fuck?_ ” that escapes her lips at the sight under the hood, because the elf’s right side is covered in black scales, and there’s a- horn? curling up through her hair. The next _brilliant_ thing that comes out of her mouth is, “ _that's hot._ ”

It takes several more minutes of verbal fumbling on both their parts before the elf- dragon? Half dragon elf? lady introduces herself as Calianna, and asks if maybe that’s Mr Mollymauk?

And that’s how Keg inadvertently meets someone who not only know the Mighty Nein too, but can actually fuckin’ read!

Cali’s happy to read the letter for them, although after she scans it she tells them it might be better to do it upstairs, “ _where no one can listen, because this seems- er, illegal? But also good news! I think!_ ”

Turns out the Nein wanted Molly to meet up with a guy named The Gentleman (which sounds totally legal and above board, and not dangerous _at all_ ) so they head to the Leaky Nip or whatever, and Keg _really_ wishes they’d added that he was going to ask for their _blood_ in the note, because you’d _think_ that’s an important detail.

But it’s too late to go back now, so she pricks her finger, and The Gentleman snaps his fingers and some minion comes out and tells them they’ve got a couple of _sending_ spells they can use.

Keg lets Cali do the talking, because there’s no way Keg’s gonna be able to explain this clusterfuck in a way that makes sense.

It is nice though, to hear Jester’s cheery voice over the line, although it gets a little wobbly after Molly speaks up.

He still doesn’t have _all_ his memories back. He’s got vague shit, remembered more when Keg told him the names to match the faces, but she just hopes that it’ll come back if he’s actually around the people he’s supposed to remember.

Jester tells them to go to Nicodranas, to find the Lavish Chateau, and to tell the Ruby ( _The Ruby of The Sea. Who’s Jester’s_ **_Mom_ ** ) that they’re friends of Jester, gives them some weird story about a sapphire to prove to her that they’re telling the truth, and then Keg, Cad, Molly and Cali, now, head out to visit Jester’s _mom_ , the _Ruby Of The Sea_.


	4. chapter four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoops! sorry this one's a little later than normal, nearly forgot to post it. but! we remembered, so here you go. shorter than the other updates, but it wouldn't have fit if i'd kept it in with last chapter

They wait at the Chateau that’s more expensive than Keg _herself_ for about three weeks, before the Nein finally meet them. The four of them get closer, in the meantime, though. They’d already kinda become friends, her and Cad and Molly, which is fuckin’ _weird_ , but not, _bad_. And along the weeks to get to Nicodranas Cali had fit right in, and it was- it was _nice_ , Keg could admit, if begrudgingly to herself, to have a group to rely on.

So when the Nein come back, and Jester and Nott tell them all about how they _stole a ship_ and _became pirates_ and almost freed an _old god?????_ Fjord hisses at them to stop talking before they can detail that one, but frankly Keg’s good with not knowing anything else, thanks.

There are a lot of tears when Molly walks into the room, and more when Keg, and co. explain the situation. But it’s nice, seeing Molly fit back into his group, if a bit hesitantly, and Keg is _not_ jealous, because that was what this _whole thing_ was about, why would she be fuckin’ jealous about Molly finally getting what he needs?

 

They don’t stay at the Chateau for long after that- it’s crowded with all of them, and so Keg, Cad, and Cali clear out, to a local inn. And Cali tells them that she has a new lead on one of her magic bowls, and _if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, they’d be welcome to travel with her, if they want_ ? And Keg- Keg says yes, because Cali might be half dragon and can spit acid and shit, but she’s still a skinny ass twig who doesn't know how to use a sword, and Cad agrees because these people are his _friends_ , and he cares about them, and when he asks, they agree that they’ll start investigating the corruption in his home right along with Cali’s cult bowls.

(He thanks the Wildmother, that night, for leading him to these people. He's missed having a family around)

They say goodbye to Molly and the Nein, and it’s sad to not have the purple weirdo around, but she can tell how happy he is to be back with them, and how happy they are to have him back.

And Keg looks up at Cad and Cali, her two twigs, and can’t help but feel like maybe she’s got people to be happy about too.


End file.
